174 ANGLING 



and then some jack and bream. If he has fair luck, he 

 will have, in the course of a couple of hours, fifty or 

 sixty pounds weight of fish, of one kind and another. 

 He now takes his breath, and dines; sometimes in a 

 sportsman's fashion, and sometimes he goes to a con- 

 venient place of refreshment, and leisurely enjoys 

 himself. He comes home delighted, and all his family 

 are delighted too ; and thus ends one of the long-looked- 

 for and joyous days of his city life. 



Now, all this is very healthful, pleasant, and socially 

 improving. To his brother craftsman in the country, 

 the London bottom-fisher may possibly seem a somewhat 

 grotesque personage; but we should remember that in 

 angling, as well as in everything else, a large margin is 

 allowed for different tastes, opinions, and habits, which 

 are really in almost all cases the result of external 

 circumstances, rather than from sheer choice. The love 

 of outdoor sport and amusement is such a powerful and 

 impulsive feeling in human nature, that to suppress it 

 is altogether impossible ; and when men are placed in 

 certain unfavourable positions for its full and healthful 

 exercise, we should express neither surprise nor cen- 

 soriousness if they deviate a little in the modes of 

 gratifying this instinctive love of external recreation. 



There are a few general observations or rules which 

 relate to dock-fishing, which we shall take the liberty to 

 state, because they will, we are persuaded, prove useful. 

 In cold east or north-east winds, it is of little use trying 

 for fish in these localities. The finny tribes seem imder 

 such an atmosphere to lie dormant or powerless. The 

 spring tides must also be attended to. When fresh 

 supplies of water rush into the docks from the main 

 body of the river, fish will not feed freely for some days 

 after. West and south-west winds are always favourable 

 to the rod-fisher, and generally guarantee him some 

 share of sport. Even if the wind in any of the quarters 

 be high and boisterous, it will all be in his favour. 

 Shot should be used for perch-fishing, and placed about 

 a couple of feet below the float, and about eight or ten 

 inches from the hook. To know the precise localities 



